The Security Industry Association’s Research Department has developed several products that can help companies in the electronic physical security industry decide where to focus their marketing and sales efforts.

With SIA’s Web-based TRENDFINDER, for example, users can create customized market-data reports compiled from Master Format-based construction bid documents for new construction and renovations. 

An interactive U.S. map defines security technology use as well as the size of vertical construction markets and submarkets. Users can “drill down” into the frequently updated data to identify where in the country the greatest demand for electronic security products is expected.

Security professionals who want an even greater level of detail can find it with SIA’s Custom Research Engine, which provides market data on a user’s products compared to those of competitors.
This competitive intelligence, obviously, can give you a big advantage in the marketplace.

While both the Product Trends Dashboard and the Custom Research Engine are available only to SIA members, the association makes available much of its research to non-members. SIA’s 2009 United States Security Market Report and Economic Impact Study provides, in more than 300 pages, the most comprehensive picture available of the electronic security market in the U.S. commercial and institutional sectors and is available to anyone. SIA is developing a new Web-based product that will combine the extensive research of the market report with the real-time updates and user-friendliness of TRENDFINDER. This project, which could be available by late 2010, represents a major new venture for SIA and could have a profound impact on the way that electronic security companies conduct market research.

SIA has not limited its research to within U.S. borders, though. In the past few years, it has released reports that defined the security markets and economic, demographic and legal conditions in Brazil, China, India, Russia and six Latin American countries – Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela. (A Brazil update is planned for early 2010 to coincide with SIA’s participation in ISC Brazil in April.)

Sales opportunities are not always easy to identify, especially in the current economy. The right research tools can mean the difference between a marketing dollar that is wasted and one that finds a new customer.